School: Béal Átha Conaill (C.)
- Location:
- Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: Mary Mulligan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0968, Page 160
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- It was mid-winter many years ago when everywhere. Cromwell and his "Ironsides" passed passed Churches were profaned, and Priests and monks were put to the sword.
In a dense wood in Drumlane, Co Cavan a few monks were hiding. They had a hut fixed underground like a cave.
Te Blessed sacrament was hidden in the place of safety. Nearly Christmas was approaching and Father Frank McBreen was to come if possible to celebrate Mass. The Holy Monks were preparing the Christmas Crib. They made a figure of the Infant Jesus rudely carved in wood. They left the Crib in a clump of trees so that the two little maidens who brought them food might convey it to the nearby chapel.
The two maidens Catherina Fitzgerald and Pauline O'Donoghue arranged the Crib as best they could with a bundle of woodland grass on which lay the statue of the Infant King. They decorated the little Chapel with evergreens from which the snow had melted, and now shone in drops like diamonds.
Father Frank went for the Blessed Sacrament. It got so dark that he could hardly make his(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs J. Mc Cabe
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Snugborough, Co. Cavan
